To think this could actually work?

[Chefpig]

My freezer seems to have broken. It feels as if it might have broken very recently as food is still cold and semi-frozen.

I have an outhouse which isn't insulated at all. Its freezing at this time of year in there.Could it be an idea for me to bag up my food and put it in there so I've got time to get through the food before it goes off? I'm sure the outhouse is probably colder than the fridge. Could that actually work and give me maybe five days to get through the food?

Not really. Your freezer is set to -18. If you have meat it would be unsafe

I'd cook as much as you can now and eat as much as you can over the next few days. Or build yourself a Victorian style ice house.

I think you would quickly attract rats.

I would but many wouldn’t. Ice cream and fish and chicken would be the first things to use and frozen vegetables will go soggy fairly quickly once they start defrosting. Ideally you would cook any food and then it’ll be fine to re freeze.

Maybe, not ideal though. If it was me, I’d try and cook up a few things (chillis etc) basically whatever you’ve got in and then put it in the fridge. Do you have a friend or neighbour who could store your food for a few days?

It’s not actually going to be much (if at all) below freezing over the next few days where I am so I wouldn’t risk it sitting at 3/4° for days. Chuck in fridge and try and eat as much as you can I say!

As long as you have a thermometer in the outhouse, and can be sure the temperature never rises above freezing until you eat the food. Do you have a cool box? Put the food in it in the outhouse. Otherwise wrap items in newspaper and pack them tightly together in a box.

Fridge yes freezer no

Have you checked if your freezer is just iced up? Hair dryer it at the back ...

or put dead freezer in outhouse, it will still have some insulation

I wouldn't, you risk contamination by rodents as well not really knowing how long your food has been defrosting, or what temperature the shed is going to be day and night.

I would concentrate on cooking and eating the most expensive things as fast as possible, and getting shot of the rest. I know it seems a waste, but food poisoning is no joke.

Are you covered on your house insurance for freezer contents?

Thanks everyone. I didn't even think about rodents but they could easily get in to my outhouse. Some things are still frozen so I've packed things that are thawing around them.